CDCR Vocational Programs for Inmates

A recent California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) press release documented a graduation ceremony. This ceremony was held for 23 inmates from the California Institution for Men at Chino who successfully completed a marine technology and carpentry program. It is argued that the successful implementation and completion of this program by current inmates could help to reduce their chances of returning to prison by up to 25 percent. Subsequently, it is also argued that programs like the aforementioned are saving California taxpayers upwards of $35 million.

“Thanks to the effective training provided by CALPIA, we are far less likely to see these inmates in prison again,” said Matthew Cate, CDCR Secretary. “Not only is this great news for the graduates, but it also saves the taxpayers millions of dollars a year.” These programs are designed to help convicted offenders receive the necessary professional and technical skills to obtain gainful employment. Studies have shown that once paroled, inmates who have completed these programs are overall 25 percent less likely to return to prison than the regular prison inmate population. Specifically, studies have shown that Carpentry pre-Apprenticeship program graduates recidivate 18 percent, and graduates from the new Marine Technology Training Center recidivate only 6 percent. It is claimed that these programs save taxpayers million of dollars a year when compared to the costs of prosecution, custody, and subsequent parole when compared to the current 55 percent recidivism rate of the general prison population.

Inmates in California State Prisons receive training via CDCR and the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) at not cost. Upon parole, CALPIA also provides each inmate graduate with a set of tools for their trade, and also pays their initial union dues. The average citizen is not so lucky. Seattle Central Community College offers a similar Marine Carpentry program. It is a six-quarter program, and the tuition for the 18-credit course load for a non-resident is $2,751.80 per quarter. Students are also required to pay associated fees with tuition (student activity fee, computer lab fee, etc.), maintenance lab fees, and the cost of supplies and equipment. All totaled, an average student would spend close to $3,000 a quarter, which amounts to $18,000 at the end of six-quarters. Is it fair that law-abiding citizens are required to come up with this money on their own? And convicted felons are receiving this type of training at no cost, regardless of the fact that a good percentage of them will squander away their opportunity and eventually return to prison?